Special report: Iran Nuclear Crisis 

    MUNICH, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Saturday that Iran must accept western demands over nuclear weapons or face international isolation.

    "If Iran does not do so then the alternative for Iran is to slip further into isolation," said Merkel at a high-profile security conference in southern German city of Munich.

    The international community is "determined to prevent the threat posed by an Iranian military nuclear program," said Merkel, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency.

    Iran's top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani arrived here Saturday to take part in the Munich security conference, making Iran's nuclear crisis one of the most burning issues to be discussed in the three-day meeting.

    Earlier reports said Larijani had decided at the last minute he would not come due to an illness.

    Larijani had said that he expected "some negotiations with the West on the sidelines of the Munich meeting, which would also been attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, and EU chief diplomat Javier Solana.

    Some 250 top officials from over 40 countries participated in the 43th Munich security conference which will run from late Friday until Sunday.

    The meeting, entitled "global crisis, global responsibilities¡±, will also highlight NATO's role, the Middle East peace process, transatlantic relations, the West's relations with Russia and the fight against international terrorism, according to organizers.